The Protectorate of Somerset: Government and Aims

Active learning helps students grasp the complexity of Somerset’s rule because his government relied on actions—enforcing proclamations, managing commissions, and debating strategy—that students can examine through hands-on tasks rather than passive reading.

• Year 12
• History
• 3 activities
• 25 min–50 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze the effectiveness of Somerset's proclamations as a tool of governance during the Protectorate.
2. Explain the economic and social factors contributing to the enclosure riots and evaluate Somerset's response.
3. Critique the strategic and financial viability of Somerset's Scottish garrison policy.
4. Evaluate the extent to which Somerset's social policies reflected a 'liberal' outlook compared to contemporary norms.

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Enclosure Commission

In small groups, students analyze Somerset's 1548 commission into illegal enclosure. They must identify why this policy made him popular with the peasants but 'toxic' to the landowning classes who actually ran the government.

Prepare & details

Analyze how effectively Somerset handled the economic crisis and enclosure.

Facilitation Tip: During the Enclosure Commission, assign each group a different enclosure source so they must compare perspectives before drafting their report.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Simulation Game

⏱ 50 min·Small Groups

Simulation Game: The Scottish Garrison Debate

Students role-play a council meeting where Somerset defends his policy of building permanent forts (garrisons) in Scotland. They must calculate the cost of these forts and debate whether they are a 'strategic masterstroke' or a 'financial black hole'.

Prepare & details

Explain why Somerset's policy in Scotland (the garrisoning) failed.

Facilitation Tip: In the Scottish Garrison Debate, give half the class the role of proponents and half the role of critics to ensure balanced participation.

Setup: Flexible space for group stations

Materials: Role cards with goals/resources, Game currency or tokens, Round tracker

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 25 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: The 'Good Duke' Myth

Students analyze contemporary and modern views of Somerset. They discuss in pairs whether he was a 'sincere reformer' who cared for the poor, or an 'arrogant autocrat' who was simply out of his depth.

Prepare & details

Evaluate the extent to which Somerset was a 'liberal' ahead of his time.

Facilitation Tip: For the 'Good Duke' Myth activity, provide a mix of contemporary praise and criticism so students must weigh evidence before deciding.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Teaching This Topic

Focus on process rather than outcomes. Use role play and collaborative analysis to show how Somerset’s methods created as many problems as they solved. Avoid presenting him as simply a tyrant or a reformer; instead, let students see the contradictions in his policies through the evidence itself.

What to Expect

Students will show they understand Somerset’s methods and failures by analyzing primary evidence, debating policy choices, and evaluating contemporary perspectives, not just recalling dates or events.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Somerset was a 'Protestant extremist'.

What to Teach Instead

During the Enclosure Commission activity, provide the 1549 Prayer Book for close reading so students can see the text’s moderate language and note Somerset’s caution in religious reform.

Common Misconception

Somerset's fall was only because of the 1549 rebellions.

What to Teach Instead

During the 'Good Duke' Myth Think-Pair-Share, include quotations from Council members criticizing his autocratic style so students recognize that his political isolation began before the rebellions.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

After the Enclosure Commission, ask students to write two sentences explaining one reason Somerset issued proclamations and one consequence of his enclosure policy.

Discussion Prompt

After the Scottish Garrison Debate, pose the question: 'Was Somerset's failure in Scotland primarily due to poor strategy or insurmountable circumstances?' Facilitate a brief class debate, asking students to cite evidence from the lesson.

Quick Check

During the Enclosure Commission activity, provide students with a short primary source excerpt (e.g., a complaint about enclosure). Ask them to identify the social problem described and suggest one action Somerset might have taken, referencing his known policies.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge students to write a speech Somerset might have given to defend his enclosure policy to angry landowners.
• Scaffolding: Provide sentence starters or a graphic organizer for students to structure their arguments during the Garrison Debate.
• Deeper exploration: Have students research how Somerset’s policies compare to later Tudor reforms to assess long-term impact.

Key Vocabulary

Proclamations	Official public announcements or orders issued by the sovereign or government, used by Somerset to bypass traditional council decisions.
Enclosure	The process of consolidating small landholdings into larger farms, often leading to the displacement of rural populations and social unrest.
Garrisoning	The deployment of troops in fortified places to defend them, referring to Somerset's strategy of maintaining English forts in Scotland.
Protectorate	The period when the Duke of Somerset governed England as Lord Protector during the minority of Edward VI.